Suspected pipe bomb forces evacuation of Layton elementary school

Families wait to pick up their students at a church as the Davis County Bomb Squad investigates a suspicious package at Mountain View Elementary School in Layton Monday, April 22, 2013.

LAYTON — A bomb scare at Mountain View Elementary School on Monday resulted in the evacuation of students and cancellation of classes.

Monday morning, a maintenance worker was on the roof of the school, 2025 E. 3100 North, when he found what appeared to be a pipe bomb, said Davis School District spokesman Chris Williams. Authorities were notified, but not until the man had already carried the device off the roof.

Students were evacuated from the school about noon and taken to a church east of the school on 2400 East. Classes were canceled for the rest of the day after the Davis County Sheriff's Office, Layton police and Layton firefighters were called.

"It was, like, crazy because of all the fire trucks coming in and the police, and there were sirens and stuff," said 10-year-old Macie Rose. "You could hear all the wheels stop, and everyone screaming and stuff, but it was crazy loud."

Williams said parents were notified by email and phone messages that automatically went out.

Macie's mother, Stacie Colby, said she received a voice mail from the district and went to pick up her daughter at the designated location.

"We've had preparation drills, disaster drills, where we came and got our kids before, so I knew exactly what to do," Colby said. "Not until I got over here and saw everything did I panic."

The device was rendered safe in the parking lot.

Colby said she was impressed with the way the school handled the situation.

"It was smooth," she said. "It was exactly how they prepared us before."

Bomb-sniffing dogs from Hill Air Force Base were also sent to the school to conduct a search for any other devices.